In the BOH series What I Love, we’re asking designers to build us a mood board of what’s inspiring them right now.
David Mann is drawn to structural elements. The founding partner of New York–based MR Architecture + Decor seeks out sculptural pieces made from tactile materials that showcase an array of interesting finishes and organic motifs. “I like lush interplays of form and surface,” he tells Business of Home.
While crafting his current mood board, Mann says materiality—and artisanal craftsmanship—reigned supreme. “This flat lay is inspired by finishes and objects I’ve grown to love and cherish over the years,” he explains. “In many cases, I’ve grown to love and admire the creators as well.”
The final scheme is equal parts elegant and artful, featuring everything from bead-blasted 22-karat-gold-plated candleholders to tiny ceramic vessels. “These designs have been employed in some of our most memorable projects,” he says.
Here, the designer breaks down the details, from expressive marbles to hand-sculpted ceramic tile.
1. PLATINUM TIDE TILE IN COLIBRÌ BY SICIS
“It’s hard to create a more dazzlingly luxurious finish surface than one out of these platinum glass tiles from Sicis.”
2. CANA AZURE MARBLE BY CIOT
“I am a complete sucker for exotic stones, and this one has the most beautiful green-tan color combination.”
3. MINIATURE POTTERY BY BERNDT FRIBERG AT THE END OF HISTORY
“The glazes, scale and exquisite proportions [of these miniature vessels by the late Swedish master potter] get my attention every time!”
4. CUSTOM CAST BRONZE FRUIT SCULPTURES BY DAVID WISEMAN
“We have commissioned David Wiseman for a number of both architecturally integrated and freestanding pieces over the years. His work is always steeped in a fascinating narrative realized through highly detailed furnishings and finishes.”
5. CERAMIC TILE BY PETER LANE STUDIO
“Peter Lane is one of my favorite ceramicists. His work combines extraordinary finishes and boldly dimensional graphics. His wall tiles look like they are on steroids!”
6. MR.04 CANDLESTICKS SET BY MR ARCHITECTURE + DECOR AT MAISON GERARD
“My favorite toys as a child were Lego bricks. These candleholders are based on the idea of building a mountain or landscape of modular, stackable candleholder cubes in various finishes.”
7. BESPOKE STEEL SCULPTURE BY SORAYA OSORIO
“Soraya Osorio has been a career-long collaborator of ours. Her work as a metalsmith is nothing short of mastery. These inventive steel flip-flops were a Christmas gift from her one year. They are in a finish that we have used in the past, but we typically commission work in her blackened steel, which very much aligns with the MR aesthetic.”
8. BESPOKE MINIATURE ARTWORK BY NANCY LORENZ
“Nancy Lorenz’s work is in a class all by itself, born out of traditional Japanese lacquering. This piece was a New Year’s gift in 2015.”
9. SHADOW DRAWINGS MIRROR SAMPLE BY KIKO LÓPEZ AT MAISON GERARD
“Kiko López has taken the ancient skill of églomisé to a new level with his mirrored panels that look more like Rothkos than antique glass.”
10. LIGHT SCULPTURE FINISH SAMPLE BY AYALA SERFATY
“Ayala Serfaty is an artist we return to often when sourcing furnishings for our interior projects. Her multidisciplinary confections are an alchemy of art, craft and high design.”
11. ELYSEE FABRIC IN CHARCOAL BY CHRISTOPHER HYLAND
“This silk velvet [by Christopher Hyland] is my go-to fabric to create the most sensuous upholstered finish. It may not be the most practical, but it is the most beautiful.”
12. PYRITE IN MATRIX BY EVOLUTION
“I am obsessed with natural pyrite. We have used these in decor projects as cabinet door pulls as well as miniature sculptural objects.”
13. NERO VITA MARBLE SAMPLE BY BAS STONE
“This highly figured marble is one of my favorites when a bold, natural statement is necessary.”
14. SCULPTURE BY PAMELA SUNDAY
“I am a huge fan of Pamela Sunday’s ceramic art. If you look closely at our book, we have used her otherworldly sculptures in many projects.”
15. AGRA FABRIC IN OYSTER BY STRATUM TEXTILES
“I like to paper back this raw silk linen [by Stratum Textiles] and use it to wallpaper rooms. We have used this subtle texture on the Sheetrock walls of homes with lots of floor-to-ceiling glass to soften the effect of too many hard surfaces. It also makes a great lampshade material.”
